Hier kommt Alex
Encyclopedia
"Hier kommt Alex" is a song by German punk band Die Toten Hosen
. It is the first single and the first track from the album Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau
. The song in concept introduces Alex, who is the central character on the concept album
. The Alex in the song is Alex DeLarge, from the book A Clockwork Orange
.
"Hier kommt Alex" is structurally and musically similar to the last track from the album, "Bye, Bye Alex".
. It is also included in the Europe
an release of Rock Band, and as a downloadable track on the American
version. It is also available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour
.
on Endstation.Eden, Gatos Sucios on Punto limite, Thomas Baldischwyler for the compilation Pudel Produkte 8, Sonnenbrandt, Scala & Kolacny Brothers
on the album Grenzenlos. British punk band UK Subs
covered it in English as "Here Comes Alex".
According to an interview, Die Ärzte
had spontaneously played the song on a benefit concert to attract more crowd, because people were leaving after a bad band.http://www.dietotenhosen.de/alldieganzenjahre_freunde_bela2.php
version of the song, titled "The Return of Alex". This was released as a promo single for UK
from the all-English album Love, Peace & Money
.
album Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
. The song is introduced with the first bars of the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata
".
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
. It is the first single and the first track from the album Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau
Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau
Ein kleines bißchen Horrorschau is the sixth LP by Die Toten Hosen, released in 1988...
. The song in concept introduces Alex, who is the central character on the concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. The Alex in the song is Alex DeLarge, from the book A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
.
"Hier kommt Alex" is structurally and musically similar to the last track from the album, "Bye, Bye Alex".
Inclusions in video games
The song appears as a bonus track in the game Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
. It is also included in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an release of Rock Band, and as a downloadable track on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
version. It is also available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
.
Cover versions
The song has been covered by many artists, among them Samsas TraumSamsas Traum
Samsas Traum is a band from Germany fronted by Alexander Kaschte now based in Austria. Their music consists of elements of Symphonic metal, Neue Deutsche Härte and Cantastoria. The name is derived from the 1915 novel The Metamorphosis's character Gregor Samsa by Franz Kafka.- Biography :Samsas...
on Endstation.Eden, Gatos Sucios on Punto limite, Thomas Baldischwyler for the compilation Pudel Produkte 8, Sonnenbrandt, Scala & Kolacny Brothers
Scala & Kolacny Brothers
Scala & Kolacny Brothers is a Belgian women's choir, conducted by Stijn Kolacny and arranged and accompanied by Steven Kolacny on the piano. Formed in 1996 and winning the Belgian 'Choir of the Year'-contest in 2000, they have made five studio albums, starting with On The Rocks in 2002.Most songs...
on the album Grenzenlos. British punk band UK Subs
UK Subs
The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...
covered it in English as "Here Comes Alex".
According to an interview, Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte is a punk band from Berlin. Die Ärzte are one of the best-known German punk rock bands and have released over 20 albums. The band consists of guitarist Farin Urlaub, drummer Bela B. and bass player Rodrigo González...
had spontaneously played the song on a benefit concert to attract more crowd, because people were leaving after a bad band.http://www.dietotenhosen.de/alldieganzenjahre_freunde_bela2.php
Track listing
- "Hier kommt Alex" (Meurer/Frege) – 3:53
- "Achterbahn" (Roller coasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
) (Rohde/Frege) − 3:35 - "Zum Chef (Später Dank)" (To the boss (Later gratitude)) (von Holst/Frege) – 2:10
- "Jo singt (Das Wort zum Sonntag)" (Jo singt (The word to Sunday)) (von Holst/Frege) – 0:46
- "Liebeslied" (Love song) (Breitkopf/Frege) – 3:50
The Return of Alex
There's also an EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version of the song, titled "The Return of Alex". This was released as a promo single for UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from the all-English album Love, Peace & Money
Love, Peace & Money
Love, Peace & Money is the first English language album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen , not counting the cover album Learning English, Lesson One. It was intended for the Japanese market...
.
Music video
The video was directed by René Eller and shows the band performing in a black-and-white TV-set.Track listing
- "The Return of Alex" (Meurer/Frege, Dangerfield) − 4:29
- "So Long - Good Bye" − 3:13 (English version of "Schönen Gruß, auf Wiederseh'n")
- "I Fought the LawI Fought the Law"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" (Sonny CurtisSonny CurtisSonny Curtis is an American singer and songwriter. Most of his work falls into the Pop and Country genres. He was a teenage pal and band member with Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas...
) − 2:35 (The CricketsThe CricketsThe Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
cover)
2005 unplugged version
"Hier kommt Alex" was also released as a single from the 2005 unpluggedAcoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
album Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater
Nur zu Besuch: Unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater or Nur zu Besuch: Die Toten Hosen unplugged im Wiener Burgtheater is a MTV Unplugged album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen....
. The song is introduced with the first bars of the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata
Piano Sonata No. 14 (Beethoven)
The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor "Quasi una fantasia", Op. 27, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven, popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata , was completed in 1801...
".
Track listing
- "Hier kommt Alex" (Meurer/Frege) − 4:08
- "Was zähltWas zählt"Was zählt" is a song by Die Toten Hosen. It's the first single and the third track from the album Auswärtsspiel.The song is an ode to love , as it describes, how one can go through anything and suffer a lot for love, also give up any memories for it.-Music video:The music video was directed by Ralf...
" (What counts) (Breitkopf, von Holst/Frege) − 4:04 - "You'll Never Walk AloneYou'll Never Walk Alone (song)"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the...
" (Rodgers/Hammerstein) − 2:45
Charts
| Year | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
46 |
| 2005 | Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
53 |
| 2005 | Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
57 |